“He never told me.”
“Describe him to me,” Dakota said.
“White guy, about five ten. Short, dark hair.” She shrugged. “He told me he’d be back at the end of my shift to pick it up.”
“How old do you think he was?” Stryker asked.
“Maybe fifty. No, wait. Forty-five.”
“What kind of car did he drive?” Dakota asked.
“I didn’t see his car.”
Dakota shook his head. “Did he have a scar, a tat? Anything that stood out?”
“He looked like he was in the military, because of the short hair. Later, when he picked up the rope, he wore a mask. I wasn’t even sure it was the same guy.”
“You do that again, you’re fired,” Stryker said. “You clear on that?”
“Yes. I’m sorry. Thanks for the second chance.” Kirsten left, closing the door behind her.
“One step closer,” Stryker said.
“Feels more like one step backward,” Dakota bit out. “A white guy in his forties with short brown hair. There’s probably a hundred guys that fit that description who walk through these doors every night.”
“Well, lucky for you, you only need to find one of them.”
* * *
Providence found her parents in a triage room, and her heart stuttered to a stop. Her mom was lying in the bed, her skin sallow, her breathing shallow. Her dad was holding her hand. He looked like he was about to lose the best part of his life.
He rose and hugged her. Then, tears filled his eyes. “I don’t think she’s going to make it.”
Fear streaked through her. “Don’t say that.” Providence handed him his reading glasses and his car keys. “I need to speak with the doc.”
She left the room and flagged down a nurse. A few moments later, the attending physician walked over. “I’m Dr. Modling. How can I help?”
After introducing herself, Providence said, “I think my mom was poisoned with liquid nicotine.”
His eyebrows jutted up. “That’s deadly. What makes you think that?”
Her symptoms fit. “She’s been nauseous and dizzy. She’s been vomiting, too. Her blood pressure is down and so is her heart rate. Plus, she had a seizure and collapsed, which is why she’s here.” Providence pulled out her ALPHA-assigned FBI badge. “I’ve been working an undercover case and have reason to believe my brother is behind this. Please keep that between us.”
“Of course,” he said. “Her blood was drawn. I’ll add that to the order.”
Providence waited while he called the lab. When finished, he said, “They’re working on her blood panel now.”
“My mom isn’t safe here,” she continued. “I need her moved to where my brother can’t get to her.”
“Let me see what I can do,” Dr. Modling tapped his tablet. “I need to wait until her blood work comes back before I give her activated charcoal as an antidote.”
“What does that do?”
“It counters the poison by stopping the absorption of nicotine into her blood.”
Providence gave the physician her cell phone number. “Please call me as soon as you get her results.”
“Shouldn’t be too long. Can you stick around?”
